1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to information management systems.
2. Background Information
As the United States learned on Sep. 11, 2001, quickly disseminating information to every level of government is essential to an effective government response during a crisis. However, saving the lives of those in proximity to the crisis can depend on the degree to which the municipal area surrounding the crisis is informed of the location of the epicenter of the crisis and the most efficient paths away from the center of the crisis. As some types of crises unfolds, the need to inform takes on a dynamic characteristic. For instance, the process of directing and shuttling members of the public away from the crisis center, is not one of simply filling all available buses and trains and moving people to safety. Complications arise when the role of rescue and other crisis personnel is considered. The ensuing rush of pedestrians away from the scene can block the access of firefighters, law enforcement officials, rescue workers and other personnel who need immediate access to the scene. Furthermore, personnel who are rushing to the scene must be informed of the crisis details in order to respond appropriately. A crisis in which the danger to the public persists or grows greater with the passage of time, such as a terrorist attack which takes place in stages over multiple metropolitan areas or a fire having the potential to spread from building to building in a crowded metropolitan area, merits a high level of urgency and a high level of population displacement. Crises which are easily circumscribed, such as a shooting in which the perpetrator is incapacitated immediately, or a disabled subway train, require a lower level of urgency and a correspondingly lower level of population displacement. Furthermore, the most efficient path of egress is dependent upon the location of an individual with respect to the crisis location, whether it be a subway stop or a bus stop; a stop downtown or a stop uptown. Moreover, as a crisis unfolds and egress begins, the optimal path of egress may change as routes which were clear at the beginning of the crisis become saturated with egressors.
Unambiguously informing the public and government/municipality entities of crisis details increases the ability of public transportation and thoroughfares to assist in the efficient evacuation of a municipal area. It stands to reason that a crisis response which directs members of the public with respect to the most efficient path of egress, whether by foot or public transportation, and which communicates to the public egress instructions with respect to maximum efficiency and existing public transportation resources will save many lives in the event of a disaster. Furthermore, a system which additionally has the capacity to update the instructions given to pedestrians and others at a given location such that the egress is can be choreographed, will reduce loss of life to an even greater degree.
To date, there is an urgent need for a system that provides for rapid, seamless information dissemination and management among multiple levels of government and agencies, as well as to the public. Moreover, there is a need for a system that provides street or mass transit level information to the public.